Brazil - Price Update

The Brazilians launched their DTT services earlier this month based on the Japanese ISDB-T system, with a few local variations (and using MPEG-4 video). Indications are that it will be some time yet before receivers reach a price that will be affordable for the masses.

For a Standard Definition box, i.e., one with MPEG-4 decoding but outputting only 480i the price seems to be around 500 BRL, which is about $280 USD.

For a High Definition box, with 720p and 1080i video output (over HDMI) the price leaps to $44o USD.

Why Taiwan is important for Chile?

Despite the fact that an announcement was expected last Friday on which DTT system the Chileans would choose, it seems that decision has been postponed (again) and the political maneuvering is set to continue.

Proponents of the Japanese system (as chosen by Brazil) are said to have been claiming that DVB isn't used anywhere else that uses 6MHz channel bandwidths and the NTSC system for analogue TV. This has sparked a flurry of activity amongst DVB supporters pointing to the example of Taiwan. The DVB website reports (with a Spanish translation, leaving no doubt as to who the story is aimed at) that Taiwan now has more than 2 million DVB-T receivers, the majority of which are set-top boxes.

Limiting access to new technologies...

Starting from January, US consumers who rely on over-the-air signals for the TV service will be able to apply for up to two US$ 40 coupons that can be used to off-set the cost of digital-to-analogue converter boxes (or set-top boxes, as they're known elsewhere). These will allow consumers to continue using their old TV sets after analogue switch-off, which is due to happen in February 2009.

I've been reading through some of the information about the coupon program on the NTIA website, and I can't helping finding the whole philosophy behind the scheme to be somewhat twisted. There's a section of the site aimed at manufacturers who want to produce boxes that can be certified as qualifying under the coupon program, including a set of criteria (PDF) that can disqualify a box from being eligible. The general message seems to be that the coupons can only be used against the most basic of boxes - in other words, if you can't afford to equip yourself for the digital TV revolution, you're not entitled to have the latest technology. Features that disqualify a set-top box from the coupon program include not just high value-added things like a DVD drive, a hard disc or even a VCR, but also such basic features as VGA output, DVI output, YPbPr component video output, or HDMI. (One wonders what was the thinking behind putting in place these criteria?)

Contrast this to the equivalent programs in Italy and Austria where the respective governments, when DTT services were launched, used the subsidies to ensure that consumers could benefit from a more highly specified box, specifically a box with MHP middleware along with smartcard slots (and, as far as I'm aware, no limit on what outputs the box offered). If consumers wanted to go out and buy a simple "zapper" box, with only the very basic specs, they pay for it themselves...

I wonder whether this is related to the differing DTT standards used in the USA and these two European countries. DVB-T has been so successful worldwide that basic receivers are so cheap as to not require a subsidy. (e.g. more than 8 million receivers sold in France since launch in 2005). In the USA, where ATSC holds sway, the majority of receivers sold can be accounted for by the mandate that requires all new TVs to have an integrated tuner (which many or most people don't even use) - there isn't really a market for converter boxes, or set-top boxes. (I've been unable to come by any real information about what the price point will be for these boxes yet.)

The moral of the story: if you have a big population of analogue TV sets and you want your citizens to have the best technology at the cheapest price, you're probably better off with DVB-T.

Who's using what?

I thought it might be worth taking a quick snapshot of those countries that have actually launched DTT services and those that have adopted a DTT standard.

ISDB-T - On Air
Japan
Brazil (variant system - SBTVD)

ATSC - On Air
Canada
USA
South Korea

ATSC - Adopted
Mexico
Honduras

DVB-T - On Air
Albania
Andorra
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Mauritius
Namibia
Netherlands
Norway
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Singapore
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
United Kingdom
Total = 31

DVB-T - Adopted
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Cape Verde
Cyprus
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Ireland
Laos
Latvia
Macedonia
Malaysia
Montenegro
Myanmar
New Zealand
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Turkey
Ukraine
Uruguay
Vietnam
Total = 31

It should also be kept in mind that all of the countries that are signatories of the Geneva '06 Agreement governing radio frequency allocations will, by definition, also use DVB-T. That's every country in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. One could place all of these countries in the DVB Adopted list, bringing the total of DVB-T countries to well over 100.

These figures are as good a reason as any for the fact that DVB-T receivers are cheaper than ATSC, ISDB-T and SBTVD receivers.

[Edited 11/12/2007 - the Brazilian system is now on air... - thanks for the comments!]

Good year for DTT in Spain

DTT has continued to grow in popularity in Spain - they're now predicting that there'll be a total of 7 million DVB-T receivers deployed by the end of the year. This isn't all that surprising when you look at the prices of receivers there. For example, this TDT Promaster NM220TNT box is selling online for €UR 26.

A quick search for this model shows that it's also on sale in Italy and France (and probably elsewhere), which is a good indication of how European viewers are benefiting from the economies of scale that come when the industry gets its act together and agrees on what standards to use. Long may it continue!

High Def kicking off on terrestrial in Singapore

MediaCorp has launched its well-flagged HD5 service on the DVB-T network in Singapore. The service, which has been in trial for about a year, is a simulcast of Channel 5, the main English language channel that carries major drama series, movies and sports events. The service uses MPEG-4 video coding. Not much word yet on STB availability. One model that's getting a lot of mention on discussion boards is the Draco HDTV 3900...seemingly it's available for about Sing$ 300 - that's just over €140.

The MediaCorp site suggests that the main retails are selling receivers, bundled with an indoor antenna for about Sing$560 - about €265. That price seems a little steep compared to prices reported previously in Estonia and Norway. Presumably prices will fall as more HD content (rather than upconverted SD stuff) is added to the service.

ALDI selling cheap HD STBs in Oz

Budget retailer ALDI is currently selling an HDTV (DVB-T, MPEG-2 video) set-top box, with HDMI output, for AUS$ 119. That's about €75... It's a Tevion box - the black and pink boxes in the middle of the photo above.